In 2010, The Neuro-Nutrient Therapy Institute was launched to give practitioners the skills to provide desperately needed relief from our chronic mood, appetite, sleep, energy, and addiction problems. Its 12-month group seminar and individual case review program has since been attended by practitioners from California, the other West Coast states, and Nevada. Its trainees have included acupuncturists, nutritionists, MD’s, N.D.’s, psychotherapists and other health and counseling professionals.

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Qualifications

Licensed or certified integrative health practitioners from a variety of specialties are welcome to apply for admission. Applicants must:

be in practice and able to readily implement the NNTI strategies into existing casework;

Training Elements

Certification candidates initially attend or listen to three trainings on: 1) core issues in neuro-nutrient therapy; 2) the treatment of chemical dependency; and 3) alternatives to antidepressant drugs. They also read four required texts.

Seminar Four

Dosing with DLPA, DPA, and other amino acids for emotional and physical pain intolerance

Treating addiction to endorphin‐stimulating substances and behaviors (e.g., to chocolate and other comfort foods, opiates and other pain killers, over exercise, and other behaviors)

Seminar Five

The Role of Diet in Neurotransmitter and Blood Sugar Optimization:

Acquiring and assessing diet records

Issues re: animal protein, saturated fat, and adequate calories

Blood sugar regulating foods, amino acids, and other nutrients

Eliminating all cravings for the new sugars, gluten, casein, and other addictive food substances

Seminar Six

Formal final case presentations in small groups with discussion (case write-ups must be submitted to the instructor one week prior)

Assessing clinical strengths and limitations: Am I ready to be certified? Do I need further experience and specific skill-building under the supervision of a Distance instructor?

The Six Teleseminars

These two-hour sessions are held on Sunday mornings during the months between the in-person seminars. These calls combine lecture and structured discussion on the topics covered in the prior live seminars.

Teleseminar One

What is your current practice and how can Amino Acid Therapy be integrated into it?

Follow up and expand on the issues raised in the previous months’ in-person seminar, with emphasis on discussion of illustrative case examples from trainee participants.

Individual Telemeetings with Instructors

One to two-hour phone meetings with the instructor to discuss submitted case write-ups and other practice-related issues are scheduled every quarter. Other sessions may be arranged, if needed.

Optional virtual clinic shadowing: trainees can be conferenced into actual client sessions to witness nutri-therapy in action and have discussion afterward with the clinician.

Certification Requirements

Attendance is required at all seminars and telemeetings. Eight case write-ups are discussed with the instructor and two presented to the group during the final (6th) seminar. If all eight client cases are accepted and at least 12 other clients have been treated with aminos, certification is awarded. If not, continued individual supervision focusing on weak areas is available.

Special Emphasis Certifications

If candidates for certification would like to emphasize a category of specialization such as the treatment of eating disorders, or chemical dependency, adjustments in the curriculum may be made and additional assignments and consultation required.

Post-Certification Benefits

A list of Certified Practitioners will be posted on juliarosscures.com and at the Virtual Clinic’s intake desk. Certified clinicians may post their own promotional materials on these websites and may become NNTI mentors or instructors and be recommended to media and promoted whenever possible.

Recertification Requirements

For the first two years, two cases will be presented annually and discussed with Julia Ross or other Institute staff members. Staff suggestions must be followed up and implementation confirmed in order for a certified practitioner to retain certification and referral status the following year. After two years, case write‐ups will be required only at the discretion of the Institute staff. Attendance at occasional continuing education seminars (by phone or live) may also be required.